Subject: Why is killing enimies in the OT okay? |
Bible Note: Dear Steve: You wrote: "Notice that God did not demand the vow from Jephthah. It was his own idea..." But one might ask why or how he came up with that idea? It seemed natural. And then one might ask, why did God allow the event to happen? Abraham's poised knife was stayed in a previous sacrifice episode. It is an interesting scenario. You wrote: while I am "entitled" to my opinion, my opinion is without "standard or value." And that my comments are "loaded" with value judgments with no trace of "values". I trust that you realize that I could say the same thing--that your opinion about my opinions, are loaded with value judgments, etc. But I would say okay, I think, since how else can we view anything? Let's try this one: Numbers 16: 33-36 Paraphrasing: a man was caught gathering wood on the Sabbath day. He was arrested and taken before Moses and other judges. They put him in jail until they could find out what the Lord wanted to do with him. The Lord told Moses, "This man must die--all people shall stone him to death outside the camp. So, he was taken outside the camp and killed as the Lord had commanded." So, what kind of a "value" judgment is appropriate? None? ---------------------------------- You ask: what are my values? where do they come from? How do you know they're right? My values come from my faith in a loving and just God. My values come from my family who taught me (among other things) that the word "wonder" is a noun AND a verb. I was taught to be in WONDER (be in awe) of the mysterious and profound Creator of it all. But also, not to be afraid to wonder (the verb). To wonder is to ask. To ask is to attempt to understand. I value that very highly. -------------------- You wrote: my suggestion about "jumping" over the line is just testimony to the truth of the passages I cited earlier. Of course, that's your opinion. No problem. But until and unless, one is willing to sift through all the passage examples that I have previously listed, to see what they may or may not indicate, then what's the point? Based upon your values, do you have a position on the execution of the wood gatherer? WONDER and wonder :) Mandy |